1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of fabricating a photovoltaic panel by arranging a number of granular photovoltaic devices in an array and forming the array into the shape of a panel from a transparent resin.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-B-H07-54855 and JP-A-2002-164554 disclose spherical photovoltaic devices in order to improve a generating efficiency of a photovoltaic panel which converts solar energy into electric energy, for example. The spherical photovoltaic device provides a substantially constant project area (an amount of received light) when viewed from every direction of incidence of sunlight. Accordingly, even when the sun altitude is low, power generation can advantageously be performed as efficiently as when the sun altitude is high.
In the above-noted techniques, spherical silicon is fitted in a number of circular holes formed in a base plate. Surface electrodes are formed on exposed portions of projecting spherical silicon at the underside of the base plate with an insulating layer being interposed therebetween.
In the above-described conventional technique, however, the spherical silicon exposed at the upper side of the base plate has a light-receiving region whose area depends upon a relation between an inner diameter of each circular hole formed in the base plate and an outer diameter of the spherical silicon. An electrode-forming region at the underside of the base plate has a size (or height) also depending upon the aforesaid relation between the inner diameter of each circular hole formed in the base plate and the outer diameter of the spherical silicon. Accordingly, in order that the area of the light-receiving region and the size of the electrode-forming region may be uniformed, an outer diameter, shape and circularity of the spherical silicon necessitate a high uniformity. As a result, management or control is complicated in the spherical silicon manufacturing process, thereby reducing the productivity of spherical silicon. Furthermore, the yield of the spherical silicon is reduced, which increases the production cost.